Fallon Starts Pro Career With State College Spikes Of The New York-Penn League
6/26/2009 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
June 26, 2009
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Teddy Fallon (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla./Boston College) began his career as a professional baseball player on Thursday night, becoming the sixth USC Upstate baseball player in as many years to reach the professional ranks, as he tossed a scoreless eighth inning for the Class A Short-Season State College Spikes of the New York-Penn League.
Drafted in the 43rd round by Pittsburgh, Fallon was a two-year letterwinner for the Spartans. He reported to State College, which is in the second week of its season and took the hill for the first time in Thursday night's 4-1 loss at Auburn. Fallon was able to pop the mitt much like he has since mid-April, throwing a perfect 1-2-3 eighth inning, striking out one to begin his journey as a professional.
Fallon, a 6-2 right-handed reliever, is the second player in school history to be drafted by the Pirates, joining 2006 Upstate graduate Brandon Williams, who was selected in the 29th round. He is the third player to play in the Pirates' organization, joining Williams and Tony McKinney, who was signed by the Pirates as an undrafted free agent in 1988.
With a fastball that touches 94 miles an hour, Fallon entered many scouts' radar screens early this season, his junior year. He also adds a nasty slider that he threw for a consistent strike for much of the second half of the spring.
Fallon turned into the go-to arm in the Upstate bullpen late in the spring. In his last eight outings, he had a 1-0 record with a save and a 4.35 ERA in 20.2 innings. The Florida fireballer struck out 22 and walked 13 during that stretch. His four innings of one-hit, scoreless relief against Kennesaw State helped the Spartans take a 7-5 decision on Easter Sunday. Against The Citadel on May 6, Fallon was just as good, throwing 3 1/3 innings of one-hit ball, striking out one to pick up the save.
After wrapping up the season with Upstate, Fallon moved on to the Coastal Plain League with the Gastonia Grizzlies where he picked up where he left off. In 8 2/3 innings and seven appearances, he went 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA with 15 strikeouts and one walk.
Fallon came to USC Upstate in 2007 and immediately became an important part of the Spartans' bullpen. He went 1-2 with a 4.50 ERA and three saves to help lead the team to the Peach Belt Tournament in Upstate's final year of Division II play.
Fallon, a graduate of Cardinal Newman High School, was a Florida First Team Class 3A All-State selection as a senior. He went 8-1 with a 1.86 ERA and 83 strikeouts, also helping him earn Palm Beach County Player of the Year honors. After a year in which he redshirted at Boston College, Fallon transferred to Upstate.
The Spartans finished their second year of Division I play with an overall record of 17-37 and added a mark of 7-23 in the Atlantic Sun Conference under 12th-year head coach Matt Fincher.
